The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Zephyrhills/East Pasco News

Towers aim to aid public safety

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A two-year project to modernize Pasco County’s radio communications system is under way, with a series of neighborhood meetings about the installation of seven new communications towers.

The first meeting was in Hudson about two weeks ago. Five more have been held, including one on Aug. 8 at the Pasco County Historic County Courthouse in Dade City.

A half-dozen residents met with county officials to discuss the proposed 300-foot communications tower at Powerline and Christian roads.

They requested that the tower be moved closer to U.S. 301.

Trilby resident Richard Riley, who attended the meeting, said county officials were receptive to the idea.

A public hearing on the Dade City tower likely will be scheduled in November, said Todd Bayley, the county’s chief information officer.

The tower in Dade City, and six others, will serve public safety agencies, including the county’s sheriff’s office, fire/rescue department and emergency management.

The towers also will aid overall in communications between all county agencies.

With the additional towers, the radio communications network will have a total of 10 sites serving the entire county.

The current network of three towers is an outdated analog-based system that is about 26 years old.

During the past year, area residents have complained about the frequency of dropped 911 calls.

“We have coverage issues,” Bayley said.

The new digital communications system, when completed, will provide coverage to 100 percent of the county, he said.

Pasco County commissioners approved a contract with Williams Communications for the approximately $14.2 million project. Funding is from the Penny for Pasco program.

Completion is scheduled for July 2018.

Published August 17, 2016

VFW fundraiser aimed to help Hiott family

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VFW Post 4283 will host a Corn Hole Tournament fundraiser on Aug. 13 at 2 p.m., at 12735 VFW Road in Dade City, to help the family of Robbie Lee Hiott with funeral expenses.

VFW Post 4283 will host a fundraiser for the family of Robbie Lee Hiott, who died on July 29. (Courtesy of Hodges Family Funeral Home & Cremation Center)
VFW Post 4283 will host a fundraiser for the family of Robbie Lee Hiott, who died on July 29.
(Courtesy of Hodges Family Funeral Home & Cremation Center)

Hiott died on July 29 at age 36. He was a lifelong resident of Dade City, and is survived by his mother, Patsy Hiott Sabine, and her husband, David; his father, Ricky Hiott, Sr., and his wife, Cynthia; Robbie’s wife, Heather Etheridge; six brothers and sisters, Ricky Hiott, Jr., Heather Hiott, James Blackman, Timothy Blackman, Ruthann Blackman and Lindsey Sabine; and five nieces and nephews, Isabel, Logan, Payton, Hailey and Lucas.

The cost of the tournament is $25 per team. Gift cards and certificates will be awarded to first and second place winners.

There also will be a 50/50 drawing, as well as food and drinks available for purchase. Jen & TJ Rainey, and The Time Travelers, will entertain with live music.

If you would like to preregister your team for corn hole or donate an item as a prize, call Brittany Harrelson at (813) 965-7026.

 

Nobody seems to know for sure if Coolidge visited Dade City

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About a year ago, my first history column for The Laker/Lutz News posed the question: “Did President Calvin Coolidge have lunch in Dade City?”

Since that column published, on Aug. 19, 2015, new information has surfaced that keeps the question open.

Edward Bok and his wife, Mary Louise, are shown here with President Calvin Coolidge and his wife, Grace, on Feb. 1, 1929, the day that Coolidge spoke at the dedication ceremony at Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales. (Courtesy of Bok Tower Gardens)
Edward Bok and his wife, Mary Louise, are shown here with President Calvin Coolidge and his wife, Grace, on Feb. 1, 1929, the day that Coolidge spoke at the dedication ceremony at Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales.
(Courtesy of Bok Tower Gardens)

At the July meeting of the Pasco County Historical Society, I reminded those gathered that Dade City didn’t appear to offer much back in 1929, when Coolidge was said to have stopped there for lunch.

There’s no doubt President Coolidge was in Florida that year, because he gave a speech at the dedication ceremony for Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales.

It’s possible he could have stopped at the Edwinola in Dade City, if he took a detour and came to the area on the Seaboard Airline Railroad.

The Edwinola opened as a hotel in 1912. There, Coolidge could have enjoyed the tea dances held with an orchestra at one end of the large porch.

But, the Valencia Restaurant was not open for business. Neither was the Crest Restaurant.

Lunch on Limoges would not serve its famous pecan chicken until 1981.

And, A Matter of Taste restaurant did not open until 1997.

So why does rumor have it that he lunched at the Gray Moss Inn?

This photograph is believed to be from the dedication day of Bok Tower Gardens on Feb. 1, 1929. (Courtesy of Bok Tower Gardens)
This photograph is believed to be from the dedication day of Bok Tower Gardens on Feb. 1, 1929.
(Courtesy of Bok Tower Gardens)

Supposedly, there was a connection between Coolidge and the owners of the Gray Moss Inn. However, I was never able to confirm that lead.

After my first column was published, though, I heard from Susan Maesen, of Dade City.

She wrote: “Mr. Sanders, I am sorry I didn’t have the opportunity to give you information concerning this article.”

As the daughter of Jack Dudley, Susan has memories of her family running the Gray Moss Inn after the death of her grandmother.

“There were ledgers that each guest had to sign in,” she wrote. “I cannot verify that Coolidge signed a ledger. I can verify my dad telling me that he visited.”

In last year’s column, I indicated there were unconfirmed “tips” that the old guest registry wound up in the hands of Dr. R. D. Sistrunk, who lived a few blocks down the street across from the First Baptist Church.

Now, I know from Susan, that Dr. Sistrunk was her grandfather on her mother’s side.

Legend has it that President Calvin Coolidge ate lunch at the Gray Moss Inn in Dade City, but no documentation has yet been found to verify that. (Courtesy of Helene Eck Sparkman Collection)
Legend has it that President Calvin Coolidge ate lunch at the Gray Moss Inn in Dade City, but no documentation has yet been found to verify that.
(Courtesy of Helene Eck Sparkman Collection)

But, did the Pasco County Historical Society know that Coolidge’s train may have stopped briefly in the early morning hours at Trilby?

Dade City Commissioner Scott Black, who grew up in Trilby, said he was told by the late Clifford Couey, that no one got off the train when it stopped in Trilby, before it departed from there traveling on the Orange Belt Railway en route to St. Petersburg.

I was unable to independently confirm that Coolidge’s train did stop in Trilby. But a year later, it can be documented that Coolidge appeared at the Vinoy Park Hotel, in St. Petersburg, on Jan. 24, 1930.

After my original column on Coolidge was published, Daniel Wright, of Citrus Springs,  wrote: “Perhaps something new will turn up in a private collection that will confirm it one way or the other.”

That is still a real possibility.

So, please, look through your closets and check your attics. If you can find evidence that Coolidge visited Dade City in 1929, I’d love to see it and to share it with readers of this column, which is published regularly in The Laker/Lutz News.

Doug Sanders has a penchant for unearthing interesting stories about local history. His sleuthing skills have been developed through his experiences in newspaper and government work. If you have an idea for a future history column, contact Doug at .

Published August 10, 2016

Dade City moves to ban fracking

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Dade City could soon join other local governments around Florida that are approving laws to ban the practice of extracting oil or natural gas through fracking.

Currently, eight counties and four cities in the state have banned fracking, including Seminole and Alachua counties, and the cities of St. Petersburg and Cape Coral.

Dade City’s City Commission held a first public hearing on its proposed ordinance on July 26. A second public hearing and a vote on the ordinance is scheduled for Aug. 9.

TitleFracking is a process of pumping chemically treated high pressure water into a drilled pipeline to break through rock formations to tap into oil or natural gas reserves.

“It’s very dangerous,” said Sally Redden, a member of the Dade City Garden Club. “No one really knows all of the chemicals because they are trade secrets.”

To date, the industry has blocked efforts to require public notification of what chemicals are used.

Opponents say fracking leads to water contamination, and increases the potential for sinkholes and earthquakes.

Supporters say fracking is safer than coal mining and produces a cleaner energy source.

But, the issue is stirring controversy nationwide.

Most recently it bubbled up during anti-fracking demonstrations at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

Last year, Dade City’s elected officials approved a resolution opposing a bill that would give the state sole authority to regulate fracking and leave local governments with no way to opt out.

The bill passed in the Florida House, but fell short by one vote in the Senate.

Camille Hernandez
Camille Hernandez

Anticipating the 2017 legislative session, fracking opponents are pushing now for stronger measures than the approximately 75 resolutions approved statewide last year.

The Dade City Garden Club again is spearheading efforts locally after winning approvals on resolutions from Dade City and the Pasco County commissioners.

A few months ago, they reached out and got support from Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez for the ordinance.

“We’re trying to be proactive and join other Florida cities that are looking out for the health, welfare and safety of citizens,” said Hernandez, in a phone interview.

Garden club members provided research on fracking to city commissioners as they did prior to last year’s resolution, the mayor said.

“This is really the next step,” she added. “It’s a great example of teamwork.”

Redden anticipates similar efforts with Pasco’s commissioners.

Dade City Attorney Karla Owens drafted the anti-fracking ordinance, which also bans storage, as well as disposal of waste from fracking operations.

Owens said that would help block companies from fracking in other counties and then hauling toxic waste produced during the process to sites in Dade City. In some cases, the waste is injected into underground disposal wells or treated off-site before being discharged into surface waters.

There are competing legislative bills on both sides of the issue.

“It’s hard to know what the legislature is going to do,” Owens said.

So, as a hedge against legal challenges, the ordinance invokes the city’s zoning and land use authority, declaring that fracking isn’t a permitted use within city limits.

Dade City’s ordinance mirrors one from a town in New York that successfully defended against a challenge to its fracking ban by citing local zoning law.

Zoning regulations typically are the kind of local control granted to municipalities and not revocable by the state, Owens said.

Published August 3, 2016

Tentative tax rate set in Zephyrhills

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The property tax rate in Zephyrhills won’t increase this year.

The Zephyrhills city council voted unanimously to set the tentative millage rate at 6.35 mills, the same figure set for the 2015-2016 fiscal year.

Under state law, now that the millage rate has been set, the council has the option to reduce it prior to the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1, but cannot increase it.

The property tax rate for the city of Zephyrhills has been set at 6.35 mills, the same as it was for the 2015-2016 fiscal year. The city council has the option to reduce it prior to the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1, but cannot increase it. (Courtesy of City of Zephyrhills)
The property tax rate for the city of Zephyrhills has been set at 6.35 mills, the same as it was for the 2015-2016 fiscal year. The city council has the option to reduce it prior to the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1, but cannot increase it.
(Courtesy of City of Zephyrhills)

City records show that maintaining a rate of 6.35 mills will generate about $3.71 million in property taxes, an increase of nearly $84,000 over last year. The figures are based on the proposed total city property value of about $622 million.

Councilman Lance Smith was adamant about not increasing the property tax rates, noting the city already has accumulated about $6.3 million in unallocated reserves.

“I know sometimes when we raise it, it doesn’t seem to come back down,” Smith said about the city’s millage rates.

Councilman Charles Proctor was in favor of setting a higher tentative millage rate until more “exact numbers” for the city’s draft budget become available.

“If we find out that we’re going to need more, we can’t go back and set it higher,” Proctor said. “I would personally rather set it higher…and if everything’s good, go back. …I understand about the reserves…but, it’s nice to have something for a rainy day.”

The councilman added that increasing the tentative property tax rate may become beneficial should a city emergency or natural disaster, such as a hurricane, arise.

“I’m not a doom and gloomer by any means, but if we have a bad storm or something like that, we may need that (reserve) money, and I’d much rather have it when we really need it than to not have enough to cover what we need,” Proctor said.

Council Vice President Alan Knight said he was comfortable setting the tentative rate at 6.35 mills, based on figures presented by Steven Spina, the city manager and Brian Williams, the city’s finance director.

In the 2014-2015 fiscal year, the tax rate was 6.1415 mills. Last year, the council opted to raise the rate to 6.35 mills to “accommodate operational improvements.”

The council also approved a motion to enter into a contract with Burton & Associates to conduct a financial sustainability modeling study for the city.

The report will analyze the city’s general fund and provide a 10-year financial forecast to help city officials unearth “different avenues of revenue enhancements,” beginning in fiscal year 2018.

The city manager said the sustainability model is ultimately designed “to make the city more financially secure in the future.”

“We think this would be a very viable opportunity for us to look at…how we spend money and help us with some new revenue sources,” Spina said. “It gives us an idea of how our reserves are kept and protected, and we might use it to look at debt and bond processes.”

The cost of the study is about $36,000, but the city plans to negotiate with Burton & Associates for a lower fee.

“I think the study is needed, but I think we should negotiate with them a little bit more,” Knight said.

The consulting firm performed a similar study for the city of Cocoa for about $28,000 in 2014.

Published August 3, 2016

Zephyrhills is looking for a new city attorney

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For the first time in more than a decade, the City of Zephyrhills needs to find a new city attorney.

Joseph A. Poblick, 41, stepped down from the position after Gov. Rick Scott appointed the attorney to the Pasco County Court.

Poblick replaces retiring judge Mark H. Salton, who presided over misdemeanors, driving under the influence and criminal traffic cases.

Poblick’s last city council meeting as the council’s attorney was July 27.

Joseph A. Poblick, 41, stepped down from his position as city attorney for the city of Zephyrhills after Gov. Rick Scott appointed the attorney to the Pasco County Court. The Zephyrhills City Council meeting on July 27 was Poblick’s last as city attorney. (Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo)
Joseph A. Poblick, 41, stepped down from his position as city attorney for the city of Zephyrhills after Gov. Rick Scott appointed the attorney to the Pasco County Court. The Zephyrhills City Council meeting on July 27 was Poblick’s last as city attorney.
(Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo)

“It’s been a wonderful decade,” said Poblick, who’s had the role since 2006. “I remember not too long ago I did a tally of all the council meetings I’ve attended…and it’s a rather large number.”

Poblick said he didn’t have much notice of his appointment to the bench, which prevented the city from finding an immediate successor.

“We’re kind of caught between a rock and a hard place,” Council Vice President Alan Knight said, during the council meeting. “We need to get somebody on board.”

Poblick recommended the city should hire an interim attorney, as the search continues for his permanent replacement.

“I think it’s important to have somebody in place now,” Poblick said. “To the best of my knowledge (the council) has nothing that’s critical coming up, but I still think it’s important to have somebody on call should something arise.”

Poblick told the council that candidates for the permanent position don’t necessarily need to have a great breadth of municipal experience to handle city attorney duties.

“I think if you can find a qualified attorney, there’s things they can pick up and things they can look into,” he said. “I don’t think you need to limit yourself to someone who has prior government experience. I think a lot of it is you’ve just got to find somebody you’re comfortable with.”

Poblick also served as city attorney for both Port Richey and New Port Richey, leaving all three Pasco County municipalities in similar predicaments.

City Manager Dr. Steven Spina said New Port Richey’s city manager, Debbie Manns, reached out to him about the possibility of creating an inter-local agreement to share an attorney.

However, the Zephyrhills council decided that it would be preferable to hire its own city attorney, ideally from a law firm based in East Pasco.

“If they can be a Zephyrhills or Dade City firm, I think that would be best,” Councilman Lance Smith said. “It doesn’t have to be, but you get somebody out of Tampa or Land O’ Lakes, I think we’re kind of going to be a little bit forgotten.”

Poblick, who ran his own private practice in Dade City since 2005, concurred: “If there’s one thing that made it easier in my representation, it was being close by.”

Two of the more recent high-profile cases Poblick oversaw as Zephyrhills’ city attorney: the 2015 firing of a Zephyrhills Police officer for unlawful use of a taser, and the 2012 ouster of former Zephyrhills Mayor Steve Van Gorden, in the wake of sexual harassment allegations.

Poblick previously served as an assistant state attorney for the 9th Judicial Circuit.

He received his undergraduate degree from the University of South Florida and his law degree from Loyola University.

In 2012, Poblick ran unsuccessfully in a four-way primary to replace retiring judge Robert P. Cole.

Published August 3, 2016

Catch a litterbug, get a reward

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Pasco County residents can now earn a little cash and help the county clean up at the same time.

Pasco County has announced a new program that provides $50 rewards to those who help the county identify and catch litterbugs.

Pasco County is using cameras to help catch people it alleges are conducting illegal dumping activities. This truck is a still shot taken from one of the county’s videos. The county is offering a $50 reward to people who help identify and catch litterbugs. (Courtesy of Pasco County)
Pasco County is using cameras to help catch people it alleges are conducting illegal dumping activities. This truck is a still shot taken from one of the county’s videos. The county is offering a $50 reward to people who help identify and catch litterbugs.
(Courtesy of Pasco County)

The reward goes to individuals who provide information that leads to charges and fines against someone caught littering or illegally dumping.

“We have a real problem with littering and dumping in the right of way,” said Mike Garrett, the county’s public works director.

A county crew now spends at least one day a week picking up trash including televisions, furniture, tires and mattresses.

Pasco County commissioners approved the reward program at their July 12 meeting.

“I think it’s a great idea,” said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore. “Anything that can curb dumping in the county, I’m all for it. Hopefully, it will work.”

Funding for rewards will come from fines collected from successful prosecutions.

The county currently has 15 outstanding cases that could produce a total of $7,000 in fines. The maximum fine is $500.

The public works department launched its efforts to curb litter and dumping in 2011. Since then, 33 cases of illegal dumping have produced about $8,400 in fines.

However, the county only receives the fines when cases are settled before referral to court. That’s precisely what county officials hope residents can help them accomplish.

Three years ago, the county began placing cameras in certain locations to catch people engaged in illegal dumping.

In one case, the county taped a man dropping a small bundle of newspapers and magazines on the roadside. While the camera captured his license plate, which was traced to Hernando County, the address wasn’t good, Garrett said.

Another man unloaded the bed of a truck that was filled with tree limbs and debris. The man kept looking around him to see if anyone was watching, then he scampered back into the truck’s cab and drove off.

County officials want help in identifying and locating him.

Videos on both cases currently are posted on YouTube.com. They can be found under Pasco County Illegal Dumping Case SR 1330 and SR1334.

In the future, the county plans to televise three to four videos on its own website of people caught in the act. A hotline number for tips will be provided, too.

Currently, residents can call with tips and information at (727) 274-3611.

Published July 20, 2016

Zephyrhills to get $6 million City Hall

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The Zephyrhills City Council has approved an agreement with an architectural firm based on plans for a new $6 million city hall.

Council members voted unanimously on July 11 to approve a $590,900 contract with the architecture firm Harvard Jolly, to help design the two-story building.

The Zephyrhills City Council hired architecture firm Harvard Jolly to help design a new City Hall. The new building is expected to be 16,000 square feet and cost about $6 million. Shown here is the current City Hall building. (Courtesy of City of Zephyrhills)
The Zephyrhills City Council hired architecture firm Harvard Jolly to help design a new City Hall. The new building is expected to be 16,000 square feet and cost about $6 million. Shown here is the current City Hall building.
(Courtesy of City of Zephyrhills)

The city’s agreement with the St. Petersburg firm is based on a preliminary estimate of $6 million to construct the 16,000-square-foot building that would replace the existing City Hall at 5335 Eighth St. The new facility would be about 5,000 square feet larger than the current 11,000-square-foot building.

Under terms of the agreement, Harvard Jolly will oversee the design phase of the project, and also will be involved throughout the construction process — even after the city hires a construction manager.

The new facility is expected to take about two years to complete, which incorporates about nine months of design and 12 months of construction.

Over the next few months, the firm will work closely with the city to gather input on schematic designs and renderings for the facility.

“It’s an interactive process,” said Ward Friszoloeski, Harvard Jolly’s executive vice president.

The Zephyrhills Public Library, 5347 Eighth St., was designed by Harvard Jolly in 2013. (Courtesy of Pasco County Libraries)
The Zephyrhills Public Library, 5347 Eighth St., was designed by Harvard Jolly in 2013.
(Courtesy of Pasco County Libraries)

Construction of the new structure likely will take place in the parking lot of the existing City Hall, following the approach used in the construction of the new Zephyrhills Public Library, 5347 Eighth St.

“If we do (build) it in the parking lot, then we won’t have to move or relocate, and we can just go from one building to the next,” said City Manager Steve Spina.

Councilman Charles Proctor also noted: “We could save a lot of money if we don’t have to move (operations) into another project.”

City officials previously identified several locations throughout the city to house a new City Hall, one of which is the soon-closing 20,000-square-foot SunTrust Bank branch on Gall Boulevard.

“Generally speaking, we think it could cost as much as a new building, plus the purchase of the property,” Spina said. “There is interest in it, but from a general purpose point, we would have to spend more time and money to look into it, and coordinate a decision. There’s a lot of unknowns in when it would be available, how much it’s for sale, and the actual condition of the building.”

The new City Hall is expected to have a modernized brick and stone exterior. The building’s interior is likely to feature more open workspaces and multifunctional meeting rooms, which can flexibly be used to accommodate public events.

One idea also pondered by council members was the housing of a retail coffee shop, such as a Starbucks, within the new City Hall.

“I like the idea of…making this building big enough for a coffee shop; just because other (city governments) aren’t doing it, what’s wrong with building a coffee shop?” Proctor said. “That could be the wave of the future and (create) some small revenue to cover some costs of City Hall.”

A new City Hall building will mark the second major project Harvard Jolly has designed for the city in recent years.

In 2013, Harvard Jolly was hired to help design the public library. The firm later faced scrutiny over the project’s escalating costs.

At the time, the firm presented the council with an 8,500-square-foot facility for $1.7 million, but overall costs ended up totaling $2.26 million, a 33 percent increase from what the council originally agreed upon.

To prevent a similar instance from occurring, the City Hall design agreement includes a clause that requires the firm to provide a maximum price for the project.

“I think we’re all in agreement that we do need a new City Hall,” said council vice president Alan Knight. “We just want to make sure we get our i’s dotted and our t’s crossed, and make sure this one is done extremely right.”

On April 1, Harvard Jolly was chosen as the top-rated firm to design the new City Hall building, based on responses to the city’s request for proposals.

“We felt like we set the tempo with the library…and with the proximity, you can start creating a good complex here,” Friszoloeski said, addressing the council.

Cost breakdown Harvard Jolly Architecture services
Total: $590,900
$451,500 for basic architectural/engineering services
$5,000 for program verification
$72,500 for civil engineering and permitting
$21,500 for landscape and irrigation design
$22,400 for interior design
$18,000 for furniture selection

Published July 20, 2016

 

Protecting Northeast Pasco’s rural nature

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More than a decade ago, Pasco County adopted a future land use goal of preserving the character of what is dubbed its “northeast rural area.” Bellamy Brothers Boulevard, the Green Swamp, State Road 52 and the Hernando County line define the area’s borders.

Pasco County commissioners are considering a rural protection ordinance to preserve the rural character of northeast Pasco including homes on large land lots. (Photos courtesy of Richard K. Riley)
Pasco County commissioners are considering a rural protection ordinance to preserve the rural character of northeast Pasco including homes on large land lots.
(Photos courtesy of Richard K. Riley)

While there’s a goal on the books, there’s currently no ordinance that puts regulations in place to accomplish it.

But, that is about to change.

On July 12, Pasco County commissioners had a public hearing on a rural protection ordinance that, if approved, would create an overlay district and govern residential development involving three houses, or more.

The proposed ordinance also sets lighting standards and prohibits mining or development activities that would lop off the tops of hillsides or destroy vistas.

A separate ordinance would deal with commercially zoned properties and the county’s designated areas for employment centers, which are generally found along U.S. 301.

Richard Riley, who lives in the community of Trilby, gave a power point presentation during the public comment portion of the meeting.

Matthew Armstrong, executive planner, and Justyna Buszewski, planner II, of the Pasco County Planning Division, explain some of the conditions proposed in the rural protection ordinance.
Matthew Armstrong, executive planner, and Justyna Buszewski, planner II, of the Pasco County Planning Division, explain some of the conditions proposed in the rural protection ordinance.

“Everything up here is photogenic,” said Riley, a freelance photographer who has done work for various publications, including The Laker/Lutz News.

“It’s wonderful to be here,” Riley added.

Though the ordinance isn’t perfect, Riley said, “We’re supportive of most of the parts of the ordinance. We’re trying our best to get something on the books.”

Pasco County Commissioner Ted Schrader said the ordinance was in “pretty good shape,” but he expressed concerns about regulations on landscaping.

Specifically, he challenged trees as allowable buffers along scenic corridors, potentially blocking out the vistas the ordinance is meant to protect.

If the intent is to protect vistas, Schrader said, “That doesn’t accomplish that.”

County planners said they were trying to give developers and landowners options on buffering, but would look at tweaking the ordinance.

The final public hearing is scheduled for Aug. 19 at 1:30 p.m., at the historic Pasco County Courthouse at 37918 Meridian Ave., in Dade City.

Published July 20, 2016

Pasco eyes $1.5 billion budget

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Pasco County commissioners are looking at a projected budget of about $1.5 billion for 2017.

The proposed budget holds the line on new taxes, but allows some room for new services, programs, staff hires and capital improvements.

As county staff was completing the budget, they received news that property tax revenues would be about $1.8 million more than expected.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore is happy to see funding for a bus circulator route in Land O’ Lakes in the county’s proposed $1.5 billion budget for 2017. (File Photos)
Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore is happy to see funding for a bus circulator route in Land O’ Lakes in the county’s proposed $1.5 billion budget for 2017.
(File Photos)

The additional cash helped avoid a repeat of last year’s scrappy debates over the budget request from the Pasco County Sheriff’s office.

This year’s budget, if approved, provides an additional $6.3 million for the sheriff’s office. The money would go for salary raises, equipment and new hires.

Other expenditures in the proposed budget include $331,000 for a bus circulator route in Land O’ Lakes, and $60,000 to hire a federal lobbyist.

Still, the budget overall reflects a “modest growth philosophy” amid an economy that is slowly recovering, Pasco County Administrator Michele Baker wrote in a letter to the commissioners.

The new fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

Commissioners received a briefing on July 12 on the proposed budget.

Public hearings on the budget are scheduled on Sept. 13 in Dade City and on Sept. 27 in New Port Richey.

Overall, the 2017 budget reflects an increase of less than 6 percent, or about $85 million, over last year’s budget.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco
Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco was able to secure more funding for raises in the county’s proposed 2017 budget. The sheriff said he needs to increase salaries because he’s losing too many deputies to other area agencies that pay more.

The millage rate would remain unchanged from its current rate of about $7.60 per $1,000 of property value for the general fund, and about $1.80 per $1,000 of property value for the fire district.

However, county officials said the typical homeowner, with a homestead exemption, could pay almost $7 more in property taxes in 2017, based on rising property values.

“I’m pretty satisfied with the budget,” said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore.

The bus route in Land O’ Lakes, for example, is a significant addition to the community, he said. “It’s one of our major corridors (U.S. 41) and the only one that doesn’t have bus transit. Hopefully, it will relieve traffic congestion.”

One item not included in the budget was a request for more weekend and evening operating hours at the county’s libraries. The request was to restore the hours to 2008 levels.

County officials balked, saying the recurring costs were too high.

“I would like to see us ease back into increasing library hours,” Moore said. But that seems unlikely for now, he added.

The total tax roll increased from about $20 billion in 2016 to $22.9 billion in 2017. The assessed value of new construction increased about $777 million.

In May, the Pasco County Property Appraiser’s office had projected a 5.5 percent increase in property tax revenues. But, based on additional data, valuations rose about 7.2 percent, and accounted for the additional $1.8 million in revenues.

The initial estimates were just that – estimates, said Pasco County Property Appraiser Mike Wells Sr. Typically, the numbers tick upward, but he said the increase was “a little larger than usual.”

“The county is doing well now,” he said. “Everybody seems to be cooking right along.”

With a fatter wallet than expected, departmental budget requests generally were easier to accommodate.

The total budget for the sheriff’s office for 2017, if approved, would be about $110 million, up from about $104 million in 2016.

The $6.3 million increase would fund a second year of salary raises of about 8 percent on average for sheriff’s employees.

The sheriff pushed for the funds in an attempt to prevent the loss of deputies to other Tampa Bay area law enforcement agencies with higher wages.

The sheriff’s office 2017 budget also includes 24 additional fulltime employees at a cost of about $4.9 million. Patrol laptops would be replaced at a cost of about $703,000.

But, not everything the sheriff initially requested was approved. A radio tester position and a traffic control officer for Moon Lake Elementary School were removed.

Other items funded in the proposed budget include:

  • A fire rescue ambulance and crew for Fire Station 37 on State Road 54, at Ballantrae
  • The design and construction of Fire Station 38 at Watergrass Town Center
  • A code enforcement initiative to clean up major corridors, such as U.S. 41 and U.S. 19
  • A 12-member special operations team for unique rescue situations
  • An average 4.8 percent pay raise for county employees
  • A pilot program with the homeless diversion program
  • In-house mowing, paving and sidewalk crews
  • An additional fire inspector to focus on new construction review and inspection
  • Continued upgrades on radio dispatch equipment
  • The addition of two arson investigators

Published July 20, 2016